Laser Focus - A McRoll in the REAL World Story
by Mari217
Summary: Catherine explains something to Steve with amusing and amorous results.


_Sammy & Ilna, what can I saaaay? I love you guys. You've become such good friends, you virtually 'sat' with me during a night of waiting the day after I wrote this one and kept me 'company'. Thanks for that, for your friendship, and so so much more. xo_

 _Sammy -_ _ **Happy Anniversary to you & your husband. **__Many more years of happiness and that_ **Old Time Rock & Roll **_feeling :)_

 _REALMcRollers, the feedback, reviews and general love for the REAL World and Steve and Catherine makes us all happy and humbled at the praise. Thanks to each and every one of you._

 _Nonna hugs, Mari_

* * *

 **Laser Focus**

 **Three months ago…**

 **Catherine Rollins' Office  
**

Catherine reached for her phone when it dinged a text and she smiled. Carrie had texted three words: We're booked 5:00!

Catherine thought back to the day before when her friend had called during her lunch break to say, "I'm gonna text you a link in a sec."

She smiled, as she always did to hear Carrie's voice. "Looking now." Catherine saw the link to a website for Doctor Dee Hartman, Dermatology. "Okay, why am I looking at a dermatologist's website?"

"Because she's the best on the island for laser hair removal!" Carrie said, and Catherine could hear her grin. "We should do this, Cath."

"Really? Why? Talk to me." She studied the site as Carrie spoke.

"Think of it, no waxing, no shaving. Ever again. _Ever_ _again_ , Catherine. You, especially, gotta do this. You and Steve are here permanently. You're planning to live _on an island_ with a beach in your freaking _backyard_ forever. Unless you move to a retirement place when you're 97 and 99... Nah, scratch that. You're staying in that house forever."

Catherine scrolled through the website while she put Carrie on speaker. "I'd be lying if I said it's not a tempting idea. What's it cost? The site says come in for pricing, I know you already scoped it out." She knew her friend that well.

"It's three hundred for armpits, six hundred for half legs and three hundred for bikini. After the first two visits, it's half and they have a military discount of twenty five percent," Carrie bubbled. "My friend Victoria got it done and she loves the results. What do you say? I'm all in."

"Ya know what? Book the consultation." Catherine was sold. "If we're a go, we'll start right then."

"Wooot! I knew it! I gotta go, break's over, I'll call later. I'll tell them after six o'clock, but if you get a case we reschedule."

"Perfect."

* * *

 **Present time  
McGarrett/Rollins Home  
7:30 p.m.**

Steve entered their bedroom and saw Catherine wearing a tank and sleep shorts, lying against her pillows reading her tablet. She smiled when he walked in. "Hi."

He was grinning until his eyes landed on her night table, and concern crossed his features. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, wh…"

"You have an ice pack on your night table ..." He pointed.

"Oh." She should have guessed he'd zero in and worry. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Steve knew her penchant for playing things down. It takes one to know one, and no one played an injury down better than Steve McGarrett. He furrowed his brows as his eyes scanned her body. "Did you tear or pull something? Do you need Motrin?"

"Aww, thanks, but I'm good. It's not for pain, it's just to prevent swelling fro ..."

" _Swelling_?" He was beside her in an instant, sitting hip to hip against her on their bed. "I was with you most of the day, Catherine. What happened? If you're hurt …"

She could literally see him shifting into protective mode. "Steve. Hey." Her hand moved to his cheek. "I'm really fine. Nothing _happened_. After work, Carrie and I went for hair removal. No big deal. I'm not even a tiny bit swollen."

He made a little cringing gesture, but his eyes showed relief. "Ah, God, okay. I don't know how you ..." He looked pained as he leaned in to kiss her. "Never mind. You know that whole boiling hot wax thing makes me ..." Steve shook his head.

"No wax this time." She smiled at his look. "Laser."

" _Laser_?! Laser what?"

"Laser hair removal. Look." She raised her arms above her head.

"I don't see anything." He looked more confused.

"Exactly. I'll never have to shave again. The armpits were the testing ground."

"Testing ...?"

"Yeah. I wanted to try it there first. It worked great." She smiled at his expression.

"First?"

"In case it discolored my skin. It didn't, so I was comfortable doing my bikini and legs."

His face blanched. " _Catherine_."

" _Steve."_

"Are you telling me you let someone aim a _laser_ at you? On purpose?"

Her laughter echoed through the room. "She's a board certified dermatologist, not a villain in a Bond movie."

"It's a _laser_ , Catherine. You had a _laser_ pointed at your ..." He waved a hand over her pelvis and she snorted. "You know how sensitive those calculations are. What if the settings were off? What if she burned ..."

"Steve. It's all good. This was my last appointment and I'm pretty much set forever. Saves a ton of money in the long run, too ..."

" _Appointments_? As in _plural_? You did it more than once?" His eyes were wide.

"Yes." She smiled at his expression. "This was our third time. Since hair grows in cycles, they have to kill it while it's visible ... so now that I'm done, I'll never again have to shave, or as you so eloquently put it once, have boiling hot wax in places you'd rather not think of anyone seeing but you." She laughed when he cringed again.

"Not that I don't absolutely think you can handle anything, but that's gotta hurt like hell."

She smirked. "Less than a tattoo."

He looked skeptical.

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Guys get lasered, too, you know." Her expression was teasing as she grazed her fingers along his wrist and played with his watch strap.

His lips quirked up in a half grin. "They do not." He turned his hand over and and loosely laced their fingers.

"Yes, they do. Although the doctor said men rarely come back after their first time."

"Because no guy is gonna risk …" He shuddered and Catherine chuckled. "Jesus, what if they miscalculate the settings and remove something _important_."

"No, no," she giggled, "you nut." Cupping his chin and guiding him closer, she sat up to kiss him. "You're hysterical, you know that? I _meant_ men get lasered on their backs and chests; bodybuilders, boxers, surfers. The doctor said they don't go back because ... they'll never admit it, but they can't handle the pain. _Clearly_ she never met you, with your pain threshold ..."

"Why would they even go once, Cath? There're razors and those cold strip things for that. Bodybuilders use 'em all the time. Both are way less dangerous than a freaking _laser_."

Catherine was still smiling. "It's really not that bad. And I just have to stay out of the sun for 48 hours. Which isn't a big deal. I'll wear long pants and not swim or surf til after the weekend."

He shook his head and grinned at her. "Whatever you say. It's your body. It just sounds a little … treacherous."

"Says the man who _never_ does anything ... _treacherous_." Her grin made him laugh.

"Point taken." He leaned in close to kiss her. "Anything else you aren't supposed to _do_ , Lieutenant?" he whispered.

She chuckled again, but her eyes turned a darker shade of brown as her mouth lingered against his. "Nope. Not a thing. Just avoid direct sun till Monday." She ran her hands through his hair and kissed him deeply until he breathed her name against her lips.

"Cath, I ..." Steve gently ran a hand over her calf and glanced down. "Your legs look a little pink."

"Cause my skin's fair, it's nothing." She was wriggling out of her sleep shorts.

"Is your skin sore? Maybe we shouldn't …" He nodded between them.

She swallowed his question in a searing kiss. When they broke to breathe, she panted, "Not sore, _anywhere_ , promise ...

"Good ... I ... hmmhm," Steve groaned as her hands wandered. "Don't want you to ..." His breath hitched, " … be uncomfortable."

"You know ..." she confirmed between kisses " ... I'd tell you ..." another kiss " ... if I was."

He nodded his agreement as she peppered even more kisses along his jaw and back to his mouth. "I know. Just as long as you're not sore ..."

Catherine sighed when he pressed his lips to a spot behind her ear. Steve was always considerate of her, but he was especially concerned if he thought she was hurt or sick. "Thank you." She nuzzled his collarbone as he ran a hand up under her top. "I ... ohh ... love you for it, but no more distractions." She tilted her head and smiled against his lips before pulling his shirt up and off. "Let's focus here, Commander." When he lowered his arms, Steve grinned as Catherine linked their fingers.

"No more distractions." He eased her down and stretched out against her, running the fingers that weren't tangled with hers down her spine. "Promise, Lieutenant, I'll have _laser_ focus."

Catherine's soft laughter had him smiling into their kiss.

 _._

 _End. Thanks for reading_

* * *

 ** _Shout out to Graham for his B-day tomorrow. He's the dad of one of our beloved REAL McRollers._**

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 ** _Ilna thanks for the nudge on the title :)_**

* * *

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